PALMDALE – A man convicted in a hit-and-run crash in Palmdale that killed two teenagers last year was sentenced Friday to 30 years to life in state prison.
William Alexander Marquez, now 36, was convicted May 16 of two counts each of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run in connection with the Jan. 30, 2021 collision that killed Albert Cruz, 17, and Sergio Martinez, 18, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The deadly crash happened around 10:20 p.m. near 10th Street West and Avenue O-8 in Palmdale, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Marquez was speeding away from another crash at Rancho Vista Boulevard and 10th Street West when he crashed into a vehicle carrying the two teenagers, then fled on foot, according to sheriff’s department. The two teens were pronounced dead at the scene, and two other people were hurt, but declined to be transported to the hospital.
After he was publicly named as the suspect, and the sheriff’s department released video of the suspect running away from the scene (see below), Marquez surrendered in early February 2021. Marquez was initially released on $50,000 bond the day of his arrest. He was subsequently taken into custody again in March 2021 after the charges were filed, and he has remained behind bars since then, jail records show.
Previous related stories:
Man pleads not guilty in deadly hit-and-run crash in Palmdale
Suspect named in fatal hit and run in Palmdale
Authorities ID teens killed in Palmdale hit-and-run; investigation continuing
Two teens killed in hit-and-run crash in Palmdale
30-to-life says
At least William won’t be a problem for society for at least thirty years.
America's Most Has Monkeypox says
Does that mean he can’t get parole for 30 years? Or can they release him sooner?
Mike says
Wrong. Thanks to you California voters he will likely be paroled in 15-20 years based on the elderly parole provisions of the current law. But you all have the power to change that in future elections.
Tim Scott says
The determinate period of the life sentence must be served before there is any eligibility for parole.
It is so unlike you Mike to call someone wrong on a subject that you clearly know nothing about.
Oh.
Wait.
No, that’s pretty much your routine behavior.
Mike says
In correct Tim. You need to read the law. Prop 47 created caveats to the law. The law you are citing was pre-Prop 47. Now suck it.
Mike says
Correction. Prop 57.
Beecee says
“Now suck it”
He’s good at that
Tim Scott says
Hilarious that you claim to know.
Tim Scott says
So, Mike demonstrates the “be wrong, get called on it, double down and look really dumb” play.
Here’s a funny thing…when a proposition passes and changes the law, the statute affected gets changed in the state codes. So when I look things up in the current code they are what they are. When Mike looks up “what do RWNJs claim in their blogs about California propositions” he of course gets different “explanations.”
The changes from Prop 57 apply to people convicted of non-violent offenses. Guess what! MURDER is listed as a violent crime! Who’d have ever guessed!!!
If you quit trying so hard to be an asshat Mike maybe you could learn stuff.
Me says
Wrong he will be in prison for the rest of his life guaranteed.